HM Treasury

ECOFIN: 10 November 2015

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: My right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer (George Osborne) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement: A meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council was held in Brussels on 10 November 2015. Ministers discussed the following items: Ministerial Dialogue with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) CountriesECOFIN ministers met their EFTA counterparts before the formal Council meeting to exchange views on economic growth and structural reforms. Current Legislative ProposalsThe Presidency updated the Council on the state of play of financial services dossiers. Capital Markets UnionThe Council adopted conclusions on the Commission’s Capital Markets Union Action Plan. Implementation of the Banking UnionThe Commission gave an update on transposition of several dossiers linked to the Banking Union including the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive and the Deposit Guarantee Scheme Directive. Single Resolution Mechanism – Rules for Bridge FinancingMinisters provided guidance on the proposal for providing bridge financing for the Single Resolution Mechanism. Economic Governance and Follow-up to the Five Presidents’ ReportThe Council held an initial discussion on the Commission’s recent package of proposals following the Five Presidents’ Report. Climate FinanceThe Council agreed conclusions on climate finance which constitute the second part of the COP21 negotiating mandate. Follow-up to the G20 and IMF meetings in Lima of 8-11 October 2015The Presidency and the Commission reported on the G20 and IMF meetings in Lima in October.

Department for Energy and Climate Change

ENERGY COUNCIL, BRUSSELS, 26 NOVEMBER 2015

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: Today my hon Friend the Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change (Andrea Leadsom) has made the following statement. In advance of the forthcoming Energy Council in Brussels on 26 November, I am writing to outline the agenda items to be discussed.The Commission plans to hold an orientation debate on new energy market design with the view to adapting the current electricity market design rules to new challenges. The Commission has suggested questions to frame the debate which will focus on two of its recent Communications; on the public consultation process on new energy market design, and delivering a new deal for energy consumers. The UK will welcome the Commission’s Communications since the efficient delivery of our ambitious decarbonisation objectives requires modernisation of our electricity markets, while stressing the importance of maintaining an appropriate balance of competence between the Commission and Member States.The Council is then expected to agree to adopt the ‘General Approach’ on proposals on energy efficiency labelling with the objective of setting a revised and improved legal framework for the energy efficiency labelling of energy-related products. The proposal retains the main principles of the current legislative framework but further clarifies, strengthens and extends the scope of the current rules and features the move to an ‘A-G’ scale for energy efficiency labelling and the introduction of a product database. The UK supports the rescaling of labels on an A-G scale to increase consumer understanding thus resulting in greater energy efficiency and also the introduction of a product database to facilitate better market surveillance.The Council will later agree to adopt Council conclusions on the governance framework for the Energy Union, the draft version of which was agreed by senior officials earlier in November. In October 2014 the European Council agreed that a reliable and transparent governance system would be developed to help ensure that the EU meets its energy policy goals. The framework will underpin the implementation of long term energy goals including the 2030 targets. The UK welcomes the conclusions which recognise that any governance framework must be flexible, and balance the need for EU frameworks on issues such as market integration and emissions reduction, with national flexibility to choose the best and most cost effective way to meet GHG targets.Vice-President Šefčovič will present on behalf of the European Commission the first ‘State of the Energy Union’ report which will be published on 18 November. This Report reflects on action taken over the course of this year to implement the Energy Union and looks forward to the proposals that will come forward over the next 12 months.Over lunch Commissioner Arias Cañete will provide an update to Ministers ahead of the UNFCCC negotiations in Paris (COP21). In the afternoon the Council will provide further updates on developments relating to international relations in the field of energy. Items will include Ukraine/Russia/EU trilaterals, the Energy Community and Energy Charter Treaty, the International Energy Agency, the Strategic Group for international energy cooperation and EU-MED energy cooperation.Finally the incoming Dutch Presidency will provide information on their expected programme of work.


This statement has also been made in the House of Commons: 
HCWS319